Over the Iron Wall
by merryfortune
Summary: [Over the Garden Wall AU with Japanese lore] A pair of boys, no older than fifteen, find themselves lost in a mysterious forest. The two boys, Kageyama and Hinata, aren't fond of each other for various reasons but are going to have to learn to get along if they wish to return home.
1. Prologue

**Over the Iron Wall**

 **Prologue: Into the Unknown**

 **[AN: Current aesthetic: doing meticulous research about Japanese time periods and geography for a purposely anachronistic story that takes place in what is possibly purgatory.]**

A small piglet with a grey hide plays a piano and sings to a string accompaniment from fellow swine. 'Led through the mist, by the milk-light of moon, all that was lost is revealed. Our long bygone burdens, mere echoes of the spring, but where have we come, and where shall we end?'

The piglet sings with beautiful yet eerie lilt; completely unlike the normal, undignified squeal of a pig. The lights dim in chiaroscuro fashion. It seems to grin as it continues and you grin back, out of anticipation and spectacle. His song brings to mind strange, unrelated images and it reminds you of many things.

At first, you see that there is an unhappy girl of alabaster skin sitting with her dog with a kink in its tail. She and her pet are followed by an agricultural field being cultivated by a cat and you can see its opaque eyes meet your soul. The field changes into a bloody warzone where its' sole survivor of a meets a vapid woman's unfaithful gaze; you are revolted by the stench of decay and by the woman. Walls go up, floors unfold and newly painted masks glisten eagerly; you find that the hollow, open eyes remind you of hope.

A scent pervades the next image: the aroma of many teas, but the strongest flavour smelt if you're favourite, as the wall decor changes to something more western and navy, there is a man dressed like a foreigner wonders openly over a painting. A shadow crosses the image and flickers past your awed eyes and it becomes that of an elderly, sickly woman with her textiles.

With a pith snip of her tailor shears, the image becomes that of a pair of children playing with toy boats in a stream and you are reminded of your jaded innocence and naiveté. Their boat sails off and into darkness; a young lady attends a peculiar altar of bones and ashes that gives no resemblance of holiness; this unnerves you. She looks around and for a moment, she seems to meet the glassy eyes of a fish that rows a boat yet the bizarre fisherman seems lifetimes away from her. You can smell the swamp that the fish is fishing in and you are unsettled by what might be horror or what might be irony.

The next image the piglet's song brings your to mind is that of small, grabby hands plucking round apples. Yet the hands don't seem to match the image that follows which is of a girl, an honourable daughter, who does her chores without question whilst her father chops wood.

'If dreams can't come true, then why not pretend?' As the piglet's song draws to a peaceful conclusion, a lovely refrain, is that of autumnal leaves crossing a tall, iron wall that barriers life and death. It brings the strangely dreadful spoor of snowdrift. The song takes a commonly serene perfume and twists it into something disturbing.

'Somewhere lost in the clouded annals of history, lies a place that few have seen. A mysterious place, called The Unknown. Where long-forgotten stories are revealed to those who travel through the wood.'

There's a glint in the piglet's black, perhaps purple, eyes. It seems that he wishes to tell a story. You swallow thickly and are willing to listen. The smell of snow changes to something lighter, airier but also floral that puts an almost fruity tang on your tongue and hardened wax on your fingertips but you cannot name the flower whose perfume wafts through the dark theatre. But it does remind you of scarlet petals.

The piglet pauses and before he continues, he and his comrades bask in applause. You join in, enthused by the lovely song, and you look around. The applause booms in your ears and yet you can't see anyone. You can't see the outlines of the thunderous hands but you can hear them. Perhaps it's the darkness; the inky darkness as thick as the midnight hour. You do not question the invisibility of your fellow theatre-goers any more than that. You accept that they are there yet are not there; thin traces of humanity separated by space and, perhaps, time.

You face forward and the piglet seems to pick you out of the crowd. It winks at you. You wonder what will happen next.


	2. Chapter 1

**Over the Iron Wall**

 **Chapter One: The Woodcutter's House**

The woods were thick and autumnal. They were deep and eerie. The trees were so tall they blotted out of the seemingly grey sky with beech tree branches that were in different states of deciduous maturity.

The fallen leaves browned the grass and crisply crunched when stepped on. Snapped twigs continued to break underfoot as two boys trekked through with frustrated stomps but the further into the woods they went, their anger lessened without them even realising it. Yet the heat of the passed argument lingered like snuffed smoke.

However as the piglet squirmed in Hinata's arms and the further into the woods they went, it was became quite easy to lose sight of what was happening to them. 'What do you think we should name the piglet, Kageyama?' Hinata asked.

'It's your piglet. You can name it, you idiot.' Kageyama snapped.

'Don't call me an idiot.' grumbled Hinata. He scowled but his face changed to something much friendlier when his piglet looked up and tried to 'kiss' his chin.

Hinata made sure he held on tight to the piglet. He didn't want it getting away from him and Kageyama. The piglet was a very pretty, little piglet with soft, dark skin. It was a very noisy animal.

'I know. I'll call him Oink – or do you think "Piggy" suits it more? My mum grew up on a farm and she had a piglet named Piggy once.' Hinata rambled.

'Couldn't care less.' Kageyama retorted.

'Oink it is then! I think it's a very nice name, unlike Tobiuo.' Hinata said.

'Don't make fun of my name!' Kageyama roared and Hinata laughed at his fury.

The woods were quiet; for the most part. The river they were following had a soothing gurgle. Off in the distance the two boys could hear the sound of an axe tear into wood. It was quite an odd, rhythmic sound that caused the boys hearts' to race.

Hinata was leaving a trail of apple cores because he was hungry, had plenty of apples, and because he remembered hearing a foreign fairy tale about a pair of kids lost in the woods and one of the reasons they escaped was because they had been clever enough to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. However because Hinata hadn't thought to bring bread with him, he supposed that apple cores would have to do. It was irritating Kageyama: the way Hinata was crunching through apples and discarding them willy-nilly.

As far as the eye could see was orange and it was really starting to irritate Kageyama; even more than the apple core thing. Where he moved, it moved and he could only blame Hinata, who has orange hair and Kageyama happens to have gotten lost with.

The boys could feel the wind of their backs and they came to regret their choice of clothing: tightly drawn yutakas. They grumbled to each other and rubbed up and down their arms in the desperate attempt of warming themselves. Although, Hinata had a slight advantage over Kageyama as he was the one who was carrying Oink; a lively piglet whose velvety hide must be warm.

Trees that curled and buckled sneered at them and gave them good reason as to why they shouldn't stray from the slimy river's banks. Popular rumour had it that if you ever got lost then it would be wise to stay close by a river as it will eventually lead to somewhere. Whether or not that was true was about to be tested by the boys.

'Are we lost?' Hinata finally asked. Kageyama huffed and they both came to a stop. Kageyama had been expecting Hinata to ask him that eventually. He didn't know Hinata very well but he seemed like the type to whinge with shrill pitch. Kageyama suspected that this one question had been held off for as long as Hinata could possibly manage and now that the levee had broken, he wasn't going to stop asking this question.

Kageyama huffed. 'Yes.' He scowled. Oink squealed and Hinata tried his best appease the piglet. 'Make it shut up.' Kageyama snapped as Oink continued to squeal and squeal. It was a terrible assault on the ears.

'Shush.' Hinata murmured as he tried to force Oink to eat something. Hinata had a bag full of apples with him and he hoped that Oink was in the mood to gorge itself on them.

Oink quietened down and ended up happily eating the apple. It licked its lips and settled down in Hinata's arms. He smiled and Kageyama rolled his eyes. 'Let's keep going.' he said.

'Where too?' Hinata asked and he rocked Oink who made snuffy noises that seemed to indicate that now that it was fed, it was tired: like a baby.

'I don't know.' Kageyama said.

'Well, I don't know either.' Hinata said and both sighed.

This was bad. They were lost and it seemed to be getting colder. Their legs and arms, though covered, were prickled with goose-bumps. The chilly wind tickled their necks and faces. Oink seemed oblivious to the weather as it was being protected by Hinata. 'Let's keep going.' Kageyama decided.

'Alright.' Hinata shrugged. The two kept moving forward.

The sound of someone chopping woods grew in volume. The hacks were becoming louder and more frequent. Soon, the boys could see someone ahead. The ethereal fog obscured their surroundings and cast the woodcutter as a mere silhouette. A ball of light is kept at his feet.

'What if he's dangerous?' Kageyama murmured to Hinata. They were keeping unusually close to one another. They hated each other but it seemed that a mutual fear of what could possibly come next was able to override that. Hinata grinned and moved forward with energetic steps. Kageyama, briefly, envied him for that fearlessness but at the same time, he worried fearsomely.

Hinata bounded towards the man cutting wood but Kageyama quickly grabbed Hinata's wrist and pulled him back. The woodcutter didn't seem to have seen them and he reached down took light, a lantern, then he shuffled off further into the woods. He was hefting many logs and sticks judging from the basket he had strapped from his back. Without his lantern, the woods darkened gloomily.

Hinata pulled his wrist out of Kageyama's hand. 'We should have asked him for help. We are lost after all!' Hinata scolded, indignant.

'He could have been dangerous!' Kageyama defended himself. He crossed his arms and moved away from Hinata so he could recollect himself. Hinata poked his tongue out at the oblivious Kageyama. Oink sniffled.

A crow fluttered down from the trees and landed on top of Hinata's head. 'Maybe I could help.' a feminine voice offered. The sudden voice shocked Kageyama who spun around immediately.

'Who spoke?' Kageyama asked.

'The crow.' Hinata replied and he pointed to the crow that had settled amongst his bright hair.

'Yeah right. I might be a dumbass but I'm not that stupid. Crows' aren't smart enough to talk. Only parrots can do that.'

The crow squawked; seemingly to prove Kageyama's point as he "smiled" smugly. 'I take offence to that! I'll have you know I am very clever.' the crow argued.

'Wait? What!' Kageyama sputtered. 'That's not normal!'

'Hmph!' the crow snubbed him.

Light swung into the area and a rough voice followed: 'Who goes there?' The crowd fluttered off soon after and more light engulfed the boys. They soon realised that the woodcutter had returned. 'Why are you here?' he asked; his voice boomed.

He was a strong faced man, middled aged, and with a squarish disposition. He was wearing clothing suited to cold weather such as straw snowshoes and fur. He seemed as gnarled and damaged as the trees he cuts.

'Hello! We're lost; we're looking for a way home.' Hinata explained.

'Have ye encountered th' Beast yet?' the Woodcutter asked.

'The who?' Hinata screwed up his face.

'We're just trying to leave this damn forest. Can you show us the way?' Kageyama demanded.

The Woodcutter tutted but didn't reprimand Kageyama. 'Welcome to Th' Unknown, young masters. A mysterious place where ye don't truly realise just how lost ye are until it's too late.' the Woodcutter lamented.

'Ooh, creepy. But I don't remember there being a forest called "The Unknown" close to town.' Hinata said and the woodcutter chuckled. It was hoarse noise that was like nails on a chalkboard.

'Ye are more lost than ye realise.' the Woodcutter said. 'I can offer ye a place to stay, eat and rest, ye will need it for th' long haul.'

As suspicious as Kageyama was, he followed the Woodcutter. He couldn't tell how far he walked from where they had been, close to the river banks. The Woodcutter led them to an old and abandoned house with battered doors. It seemed to rot where it stood but the Woodcutter didn't seem to care. The garden was completely unmaintained and riddled with weeds. The pebbles, once neatly arranged, lie in chaos. Shishi-odoshi was dried up and unresponsive.

Hinata was strangely nervous upon entering the house. Inside, it was just as fragile and decrepit. The Woodcutter placed the lantern and his load down. He then lit a fire in the middle of the room yet the room remained cold and dark. The Woodcutter smiled with icy teeth. Kageyama and Hinata sat down.

'So how long have you been living here, mister?' Hinata asked.

'Not long, not long at all. I found the house abandoned and decided that I would stay here since no else was.' the Woodcutter explained.

'Cool.' Hinata murmured.

'It is my job to cleave th' Kareki trees and turn th' branches into wicks for m' lantern.' the Woodcutter said, proud. 'I cannot let the lantern burn out, no matter what.'

The Woodcutter stared lovingly towards his lantern that was still burning brightly. The conversation lulled and the room remained cold. The fire still seemed more cosmetic than useful.

'I shall prepare us something to eat. I'm afraid I haven't much to feed ye.' the Woodcutter said and he left the room. Kageyama scooted closer to Hinata.

'I think he's crazy.' Kageyama said.

'Same, but aren't Woodcutters always the hero of the story? I think he can help.' Hinata said,

'He's crazy. This isn't a fairy tale anyway, this is real life. We should leave.' Kageyama said.

The Woodcutter returned just in time to hear that. 'I'm not keeping, ye young masters. Ye are free to leave but it's dangerous for the Beast lurks in th' Unknown.' He left again but this time he took the lantern.

'Well? Should we leave? I'm not afraid of some dumb animal.' Hinata boasted.

'The guy's offered us some food. It'd be rude not to have some, right? Maybe we should stay after all, a little longer.' Kageyama said.

'You're so indecisive.' Hinata whined.

'Yeah, well you're too loud.' Kageyama shouted. Hinata huffed and crossed his arms.

The two boys sat in silence and seethed. Hinata let Oink at of his arms and watched Oink explore the house. Oink happily butted through the various furniture that the house contained; not that there was much. Kageyama also watched as Oink has its fun. He cared a little about the mess but since Oink was Hinata's responsibility then that made the mess Oink was in the processing of making Hinata's responsibility as well.

Oink plodded around cheerfully and then ran off. 'Wait! No!' Hinata said. He jumped to his feet and he chased after his Piglet who squealed in terror and continued its attempted escape. Kageyama watched and vaguely hoped that Oink would be gone forever because Hinata was annoying enough; adding a piglet into the mix only made it worse although, if things did get bad, he supposed that they could eat Oink.

Hinata scrambled after the piglet whilst Kageyama what the Beast was and if it really existed. "Beast" was such a loose word. The Woodcutter lives in a dank, structurally unsound house and seems a little mad so Kageyama winded up thinking that there probably wasn't a "Beast" that would pose too much of a threat to him, Hinata, and Oink. He and Hinata were quite athletic could probably out-run and out-jump it.

Hinata just about caught up with Oink after a minute or two. Oink was quite slippery so that gave it an edge but Hinata was much faster and quickly caught up lost time when Oink had managed to squirm out of his hands. Hinata dived on Oink and grabbed it. He brought Oink close to his chest and ended up putting Oink in his bag that was slung across him. Oink seemed content to be amongst the apples and Hinata's other possessions.

Just around the corner, a bit outside the house, Hinata saw the Woodcutter. He was carefully tending to his lantern like it was the most precious thing in the world. Hinata spied and he couldn't help but feel pity for the Woodcutter. The Woodcutter finished up and went inside again.

Hinata came around the corner and inspected the machinery that the Woodcutter was using to turn the Kareki sticks into material he could use to burn. It was slightly out of date but rusted oil machinery. But it seemed to work just fine as they operated with a hearty growl. Hinata didn't really understand as he had never seen anything like this before. It looked nothing like what his father kept in the shed. His father made lanterns as a hobby.

Hinata turned around and when he did, he came to a startling conclusion. The machinery wasn't growling but rather the creature that had snuck up behind him whilst he was distracted. He screamed in terror and backed away from the dog-like creature with a tail that curled over itself and fangs that dripped with frothy drool. His wooden sandals flopped against the sharp grass and made every step treacherous.

Kageyama bolted upright when he heard the scream. It sounded like Hinata: it had to be Hinata. With flapping arms, the Woodcutter emerged into the main living room of the house. 'What is going on? Where is ye friend?' the Woodcutter shouted.

'He's not my friend!' Kageyama exclaimed, obstinate. 'And, I don't know. He was out looking for his damn pig.' The Woodcutter shook with worry on Kageyama's behalf but Kageyama, truthfully, couldn't care less about Hinata.

Hinata ripped through the already shredded front door with an exhausted and dazed expression. He clambered inside and grabbed onto the front of Kageyama's yutaka. Oink squealed from his bag. A huge creature followed up and completely smashed up the front-facing wall of the house. Everyone inside screamed as the creature's jaws continued to tear into the house and snap at them hungrily.

The Woodcutter acted immediately and pushed the boys back. 'I shall protect ye!' he announced and he drew his axe again. Hinata let go of Kageyama and he grabbed onto the table next. Kageyama continued to retreat from the monster and the Woodcutter.

The monster howled and growled. Hinata, panicking, made a weapon out of the table by throwing it against the wall. It broke into two and he took one half and wielded it blindly. He closed his eyes and fumbled forward. He swung the table wildly towards the creature and the Woodcutter. He ended up knocking the Woodcutter to his feet whilst the monster continued to try and pry open the house open with its giant mouth.

The Woodcutter screeched when Hinata hit him. Hinata managed to slam his back with the table part. Hinata dropped the table and rushed to the other side of the room again. He trembled next to Kageyama and the adrenaline of panic seemed to have worn off. All Kageyama could do was stare. He couldn't tell if he was impressed or terrified by Hinata's antics. Perhaps he really was capable of kicking the Beast's ass and this was clearly the Beast that the Woodcutter was anxious about.

The Woodcutter dropped his axe and it landed on the floor with a great clatter. He stumbled away from the creature with a hand on his back. He was tittering with pain and Hinata cursed himself. He hadn't meant to do that. He was only trying to be brave and helpful. But then things got worse as the Woodcutter trod on one of the things that Oink had gone through earlier.

The middle-aged man came down like a tonne of bricks. He collapsed against the floor further and knocked himself out. Kageyama felt partly responsible because he should have cleaned up Oink's mess when he had the chance. Hinata looked even guiltier because it was his fault that Oink had made the mess.

Kageyama gets to his feet finally and takes the table. Hinata follows his lead and takes the axe. The two, and Oink, make their escape from the monster's terrible jaws. They scramble out the back door.

The monster removed its maw from the door after deciding the struggle was counterproductive to eating the humans that were tiny before it. It bounded over the house and landed in front of Kageyama and Hinata. Kageyama whips the table around and backs against Hinata. He's terrified and so is Hinata who is screaming just as much as him, and even though they hate each other with a passion, Kageyama is trying to protect him as best as he can – but only because he didn't want someone's death on his conscious. There is no other reason involved.

Hinata gripped tightly onto the axe and musters the courage to use it. The monstrous, dog-like creature is snapping and gnawing on the table. Kageyama is trying his best to keep the creature at bay but his arms were starting to give out.

Hinata slipped away from Kageyama and did his best to run around the mongrel monster without being detected. The monster was busy attempting to eat Kageyama to notice him. Hinata took a swing at the monster with his eyes closed. His grip on the axe altered and rather than attacking the creature with the sharp sides, he slammed the flat side of the axe against the thigh of the creature.

The creature sputtered upon being hit and Hinata dropped the axe. His hands reverberated with recoil as he tumbled back, again because of the recoil. Hinata rebalanced himself and the dog-like monster turned around with a cruel snarl creeping through its throat. Hinata's hand plunged into his bag and Oink jumped out. Hinata grabbed as many apples as he could and tossed them around.

Shiny, red apples tumbled around and the dog-like creature was eager to chase them and eat them. Hinata ran away from the monster as fast as his stocky legs could carry him. His legs were like that because of all the jump practice he had put himself through.

The monstrous dog consumed the apples that Hinata had thrown it greedily. It seemed to be enjoying them but it was probably doing little to sate its hunger. Its desire for meat was probably growing stronger.

Kageyama looked around and he took Hinata's hand. He tugged Hinata along whilst still searching for something better than the table to use as a shield. He glanced back at the axe which Hinata had dropped. The monster loomed over it. Then the monster met his eyes and it bounded towards the pair of boys. Kageyama screamed and Hinata had one last apple he could offer the creature.

He threw it onto the roof of the Woodcutter's house and the monster followed. The monster leaped onto the roof and brought the whole house crashing down. Debris flew everywhere and seemed to have destroyed the Woodcutter's machinery as well. The dog monster also possibly destroyed the Woodcutter himself.

The monster seemed breathless now. It coughed up bizarre, black murk and a strange, crimson camellia. The monster began to change shape upon removing the two things from its body. It shrank and its body proportions became less frightening. Its wrangled black fur lightened. It turned into a normal, friendly even, shibe dog. The dog got up and fled into the forest.

'Do you think the Woodcutter guy is dead?' Hinata asked.

'I-I don't know.' Kageyama stuttered. They both approached the wrecked house and they waded through the crushed, wooden structure. They couldn't find the Woodcutter; only the remains of the cold-burning fire.

Oink squealed and Hinata happily scooped up the piglet. He grinned but his joy of reunion with his 'pet' was cut short when he remembered the gravity of the situation. It seemed that the woodcutter really was dead. It seemed impossible for an unconscious man to wake up and escape right before a disaster.

A strange light simpered behind them. They turned their heads and their faces grew with delight. The Woodcutter was standing away from the wreckage. He seemed slightly injured but he didn't seem to have any major scratches or bruises. However, the emotional damage he had suffered was completely different.

A great depression settled on his rough face. 'My house... my mill... The lantern will go out if I cannot make oil for it...' he lamented.

'We're so sorry but at least the Beast has been taken care of.' Kageyama boasted.

'That was not th' Beast of th' Unknown, young masters...' the Woodcutter mourned. His voice was utterly lost and his heart was completely broken.

'M-Maybe we can fix it.' offered Hinata but even he could see it was a useless suggestion.

The Woodcutter turned to Hinata and Kageyama. 'Young Masters, you must leave th' Unknown as fast as you can or else it shall be too late for us all.'

'We're going to try!' Hinata enthused but his happiness only worsened the Woodcutter's immense sorrow.

'Bye, we're going now... we're sorry, we swear we are.' Kageyama said and he took Hinata's hand and led him off. They didn't turn back and they marched forward. They could hear the Woodcutter weep behind them. They couldn't stand to look back because it would make the guilt they felt, intolerably unbearable: a true suffering.

Kageyama let go of Hinata's hand. It was so warm and completely unlike everything else in "the Unknown". 'We make a good team...' Kageyama murmured.

'Maybe it's because you're an Oni and I'm a Tsukomogami.' Hinata giggled and he pointed to his hitaikakushi. 'Let's be friends after all... even though what you did to me was completely unforgivable but whatever.'

'Maybe...' Kageyama murmured. He tried to smile but it came across as a scowl.


	3. Chapter 2

**Over the Iron Wall**

 **Chapter Two: Satisfied are Those Put to Work**

The Unknown was more welcoming during the early morning than they were when it was dark although the twisty trees still seemed to have tortured faces petrified within their trunks. The wind had dropped and even though it couldn't be seen, the sun could be felt. It was quite pleasant.

Kageyama and Hinata walked along a forested path flecked with frost. To amuse himself, Hinata had taken to blowing raspberries and making other silly noises. His immaturity irritated Kageyama. 'Can you please stop that?' Kageyama asked.

'Stop what?' Hinata asked and Kageyama huffed. He was done with dealing with Hinata. He was too exhausting.

'Just stop.' Kageyama replied.

They continued walking but this time in silence. Ugly birdsong diluted the quiet and Kageyama didn't know if he liked it or Hinata's obscene noises more. He was actually leaning towards Hinata's raspberries. As they walked along the vaguely icy path, the noises of an agonised bird grew louder and clattered noises turned into a single word repeated over and over: 'Help! Help! Help!'

'Who's saying that?' Kageyama growled and Hinata bent down. His hands quickly grew red from the cold forest floor. He searched wiry bushes and shrubs. He wandered off the path and Kageyama oversaw him. Hinata soon found the source of the clamour. Kageyama noticed that Hinata had stopped wiggling about so he was wandered a few more paces down the path.

The path they were following was slowly growing more striking and well-worn. He found a split in the road that was marked by a tree with a huge fork in it. Nailed onto the tree was a signpost. It pointed towards the right path and declared that a settlement by the name of "Kashamura" lay at its end.

Kageyama didn't smile often but the discovery of the signpost was too good to be true. If there really was a town out here then he was sure that a way to get home was abound. 'Hinata! Hinata! Idiot-Hinata!' Kageyama screeched.

'Give me a minute!' Hinata called back.

'It's important, idiot! There's a town up ahead.' Kageyama shouted.

'Give me a minute!' Hinata yelled again.

Hinata huffed. He knew that there was something strange about this bush because it was talking and not only that, it was asking for help. Hinata untangled branches and listened to Kageyama whine about how long he was taking. Soon, Hinata found a crow at the centre of the bush. It was struggling terribly and tried to pick apart vines and twigs that was keeping it prisoner. 'Here lil birdie, lemme help you.' Hinata murmured and he put his hand out.

'Help me!' the crow squawked.

'What?' Hinata said and the crow looked him in the eyes.

'I said help me, you fool. If you help me, I will grant you one favour because that's how it works, right?' the crow said.

'Wow, really? I wish for a bazillion tosses in volleyball then!' Hinata said energetically.

The crow stared at him as though he were alien. 'Volleyball? What's that? Wishes? I said favours, favours are different to wishes.' the crow chastised as it fluttered upwards, testing its wings. The crow decided to land on Hinata's head and seemed to make a nest amongst his messy, orange hair. Hinata giggled. 'What's your name, little crow? I'm Hinata Shouyou.' he said.

'My name is Kikyo.' the crow said. 'And it is very important to me that I stay with you. I don't like the idea of having favours going unreturned. It's very easy to get lost in these woods.'

Hinata laughed and Oink snuffled. 'Everyone keeps saying that but look, there's a path that goes straight through.'

'Oi! Idiot! Get your ass here; we're going into this town – Kashamura!' Kageyama called.

'And apparently there's a town up ahead.' Hinata chuckled.

An idea began to form in the crow's mind but she kept quiet. She let Hinata ferry her to where his travelling companion was. 'What is that?' Kageyama asked and he pointed to Kikyo.

'I'm a crow and I see that you two boys are lost as souls. As a denizen of The Unknown, I do believe that I can help you. Besides, I owe Shouyou a favour. Why don't I show you the way to the kindly Ito-sama of the Pasture? She is my loving master and I am sure that she would delight in showing you both the way to your home. You must be terribly worried and imagine your family, I can't.'

Kikyo had a voice like honey. It was smooth and sweet. The way she spoke, her intones and general diction, rolled off her strange, pink tongue. She had the gift of the gab as her lilt was almost intoxicating. It demanded attention. She was completely unlike the crows back home who cooed and cawed like fools and yet, that's what Kikyo seemed to be calling them beneath all her saccharine slathered offering.

Kageyama and Hinata glared at each other. 'Crows are untrustworthy animals; look at Tengus!' Kageyama stated; he was in an utter state of disbelief as that was something that he had to say in all seriousness.

'Yes but what about Yata-Garasu?' Hinata retorted. The two butted heads and Kikyo watched. She was stunned by their immaturity.

'Well, if you don't believe that my Ito-sama can help you, I suppose that there are plenty of better offers in Kashamura. What a name! _Kasha_ read like the _fire chariot_ and _mura_ read like _village_. My, I bet it is brimming with helpful people.' Kikyo said. Her words were as twisty as the path they had been following.

'See! Even the crow agrees with me! We're going to Kashamura.' Kageyama decided and he stomped off down the path marked with the sign. Hinata followed after him and Kikyo just stared blankly whilst she held onto Hinata's hair.

She was astounded. Kageyama was a better wheeler dealer than her. Either that or he was an idiot who had misheard her and decided to run with it. People hear what they want after all.

The three wandered into the town. The forest melded away into a tiny spot of civilisation. From the outskirts, all of the village could be seen: every house, every rice paddy, every field, and every path. There seemed to be a distinct lack of people in this village and its quietness sucked the breath out of the three.

Not even the wind stirred the village. The dry, dead grass was still and the sun seemed lukewarm on their backs. The trees were wiry and dead. Yet there was a scent of life in the air: a faint fragrance. They passed wild-looking bushes and shrubs burgeoning with camellias. The more they explored the dwindling, dusty paths they did find signs of life. Cats that as thin as coat hangers with glass eyes and feral voices were found basking in the midmorning sun.

'Do you think this town's abandoned?' Hinata asked whilst he scratched behind Oink's ear.

'Perhaps.' Kikyo said.

'No, there's got to be someone here. There's got to be someone feeding the cats or watering the flowers.' Kageyama argued.

'Yeah, it's called rain and corpses.' remarked Kikyo.

The trio stood in front of a stooped house with a thatch roof. 'Do we go in?' Hinata asked.

'No we knock first, you idiot.' Kageyama said. He and Hinata got up onto the veranda.

'Pardon our intrusion!' Hinata sang out whilst Kageyama banged on the decrepit door frame. Oink made squeaky noises as well in order to aid the effort. There was no response.

Yet something tickled their ears and put a pause on Kageyama who was just about to peel back the sliding door. 'Is that... music?' Hinata asked. He could follow the twinkly noises with a "da-da-dum-do-da".

'Maybe we were hasty.' Kikyo pointed out.

Kikyo left her makeshift nest atop of Hinata's head whilst they tried to follow the music. Hinata sang along to it. It was very upbeat and happy. They soon found a cluster of many different inside a temple. The temple had been masked very well as it looked no different to the dwellings.

Kageyama knocked and a rousing cheer was upheld. 'Come in! Come in!' was shouted from the innards of the temple. It was very welcoming so with a smile and a half, Hinata and Kageyama crept inside. Kikyo flew behind them and was acting cautiously. They wandered inside the temple where shadows danced on the walls. The temple was more maintained than the houses but not by much.

There were decorations in abundance in the centre of the temple. People were placing them on the ceilings and walls. Others were lighting candles and incense coils that poorly attempted to hide the stench in the air. It was a disgusting smell that was musty and foul. Even Oink seemed like he could barely tolerate it. The people welcomed the trio into their temple. It was notable that the people were all elderly with frayed hair and wrinkled skin.

The people took the boys and the birds to a man who seemed as old of time. He seemed to be the event coordinator as he seemed least busy and out of breath from shouting. A scrawny cat rubbed itself around his legs and then latched onto Hinata's. He grinned as he saw the boys and affectionately ruffled their hair.

'That's a cute cat, mister. Is it yours?' Hinata asked as he picked it up. The cat was lapping up the attention. It had a coarse, calico coat.

'It feels more like I'm her pet. Her name is Tama.' the man replied.

He frowned, the further he assessed the boys. 'And that crow, a pet?'

'I serve only my lady Ito-sama of the Pasture. These children are nothing to me.' Kikyo insisted.

'Aw, that's not very nice, Kikyo.' Hinata said and Kageyama hadn't realised that the bird Hinata had befriended could speak. He was unnerved by it but everything in this "Unknown" did that.

The man laughed. His eyes were grey and glazed with nostalgia. 'What brings you three here today? You're all far too early to join us yet.' he said.

'Oh, we're just looking a way to leave.' Kageyama said with tactless expression.

The clamour of the temple's decoration and festivities halted. Shock spread through the elderly populace and they all inched closer to Kageyama and Hinata. Hinata stood closely to Kageyama and tugged on his sleeve. 'Idiot...' he whimpered, scared. Abrasive questions dug into them and their intentions were questioned. The atmosphere had shifted dramatically from cheerful to wary. Hinata's heart pounded in his chest and even though Kageyama didn't particularly like Hinata, he still felt the need to extend his arm protectively since Hinata had latched on his fright. Even proud Kikyo was unnerved, and perhaps even terrified by the radical change in behaviour.

Tama the cat leapt gracefully onto its owner's shoulders. The people stopped murmuring until someone dared to yell out: 'Leader Hisashi... Tama, what should we do with the children?'

'We didn't mean any harm!' Hinata yipped but was silenced by many glares.

Tama nuzzled against its master's face. Hisashi scratched Tama behind its ears and the calico cat purred loudly. He sighed. 'Tama and I believe that these children truly meant no harm when they wandered into our temple. They truly are simply lost – aren't we all in the autumnal abyss that is the Unknown.' Hisashi mused. 'No offence was meant but for the crimes of destruction to property, trespassing, and disturbing the peace, Tama and I sentence you three to a few hours hard labour.'

Out of the three of them, Kikyo was outraged the most. She didn't see anything wrong with the way that Kageyama and Hinata had conducted themselves. There was something strange about these townspeople. They all dressed like fallen warriors. It was creepy. The boys didn't notice and they didn't really care that they had upset the folks of Kashamura.

Out of the three of them, it was Kikyo who did the least work. She watched as the boys did general farm work for the people of Kashamura. They uprooted weeds and watered rice paddies. They spent a two or so hours doing that as well as harvesting some autumn vegetables such as white radish, potato, and the occasional mandrake. Oink was counterproductive to their hard labour though as he seemed to want to eat what they harvesting and not leave any for the villagers. When they were getting near the end of their "few hours hard labour" they were tasked with stoking a fire at the temple.

The people wanted the blaze to be huge. It wasn't a regular chimney fire that they were after but a bonfire. The two boys were scared they may accidentally let the temple burn down but they did have some supervision. They whispered to themselves about how strange the village was.

'I wonder why they need the fire...' Hinata murmured.

'Idiot, clearly it's some religious thing.' Kageyama snapped back as she shovelled more dry grass onto the fire. The inferno relished its snack and Hinata added a few more twigs. They both watched as embers crackled off of the flames.

'You two are so going to get cremated alive.' teased Kikyo. She was nestled atop of Hinata's head.

'Yeah right.' Kageyama muttered.

Behind them there were grins all around and a low murmuring of "It is happening". Leader Hisashi pulled the boys back and they dropped their tools with a clatter. He grinned at them and they weakly smiled back.

From the fire, a bipedal, misshapen beat lurched forward. The scarlet flames crowned its black face with monstrous effect. The boys screamed and the townspeople laughed. The monster continued to lurch forward. It emerged from the fire unscathed and it was carrying something. The stench of smoke was thick but there was something else; the foul odour of something rotting accompanied it.

The monster, predatory and vaguely feline, gently put down what it had brought with it. The monster had a strange pattern on its coarse fur. It was mostly white with huge, smudged patterns of orange and black. It had two tails that whipped around its crouched legs furiously.

It seemed pleased with what it had brought. Its huge paws with sable claws ran along what it had brought. It had brought a long, thin scroll of fabric with it but at the end of the fabric, two feet were pointed outwards of it. The feet were ugly and missing toes. Slowly, the fabric unfurled outwards from being cut with the monster's claws. It was like watching a grotesque flower blossom.

Kageyama and Hinata's hearts stopped. Their eyes bulged. Kikyo made an uppity chirpy noise: she had been expecting such an outcome and seemed satisfied that she had predicted it correctly. 'I should have known from the beginning. I am such a fool.' she chastised herself.

The monster had brought a corpse with it.

Leader Hisashi smiled serenely. Tama who was lying across his shoulders purred. It got up wearily and jumped down to the floor. It stretched out its lanky body and then got up onto its hind legs. It opened its eyes: golden and slitted. They matched the monster's. Its tail twirled and unwound into two. It plodded towards the monster and stroked its knee.

In the blink of an eye, Tama disappeared and became similar to the monster. Tama became gigantic and malformed. 'Well done, my daughter.' it boomed. 'You have passed your initiation rites.'

Tama bent over the corpse and placed a single claw over the corpse's blue face. 'Awaken. Fear not, we will not eat you but we will care for you just so long as you care for us.' Tama said and the corpse became restless. Movement slowly chinked through the corpse and it was behaving like a sleeping person would. The corpse rose gradually and came to a stop. He yawned. 'Leave behind the sins of the past so you can atone.' Tama thundered. The corpse was unafraid.

Leader Hisashi helped the undead man get up. 'Welcome to Kashamura, I am Hisashi, the leader of this village. Please consider this the next phase in your reincarnation cycle until you can completely let go of the atrocities you committed before you came here. Feel free to pick a new name for yourself.'

'I understand, Leader Hisashi. Please, call me Arata then.'

'A wonderful name meaning "fresh"; perfect for a new start. I hope you enjoy your time here.' Leader Hisashi said.

The monsters turned into a pair of calico cats: mother and kitten. They walked on hind legs and approached Arata. 'This is my oldest daughter; please take good care of her. Her name is Kyo.' Tama said.

'It is good to meet you, Arata-san.' Kyo mewled and Arata picked up the kitten cooingly. Tama suspected that her daughter would be fine in the hands of newest denizen of Kashamura.

Arata was readily accepted into the circle of people who had witnessed his resurrection and Kyo's iniation ceremony. They cheered and sang. They lit candles and enjoyed the scents the incense offered. It was a party in essence. Smiles were in abundance.

Kageyama and Hinata exchanged terrified glances. 'Confused yet, boys?' Kikyo asked, snide.

'Hell yeah.' they replied breathlessly. Leader Hisashi laughed as he overheard. He turned to them.

'Kashamura is a village for those who need second chances, time to atone. It is also a village of demon cats. You two are relatively clean of sin – and alive – so there is no place for you in this village. Due to the unsavoury nature of the past acts us of Kashamura have committed, we did find it a little insulting that you wouldn't want to happen upon our happy little village. But you are free to go; just don't spread the rumour that the Kasha are kind-hearted.' Leader Hisashi explained.

Leader Hisashi affectionately ruffled the boys' hair once more. The two were on edge now that they realised everyone in this village, although friendly, were dead. 'You two are free to go and the harvest you brought in is wonderful. 'You may join us one day but I do hope not. Enjoy your journey, you are free to leave now.' Leader Hisashi said.

'Yep, bye...' Hinata said. He and Kageyama bowed then slowly began to back away. They couldn't get out of the village fast enough.

The three left the village and the boys let Kikyo guide them. It only took a few paces but already, the town had disappeared into the burnt orange blur of the trees around them. Kikyo flapped her wings and drifted on a low, lilting breeze that could barely be felt. Hinata mumbled song lyrics to himself. Kageyama's feet crunched twigs and leaves.

The breeze lifted leaves from their beds. It battered them and caused them to flutter. A single leaf, tiny and brown, got caught against a fence. Eerie bellows ridiculed the peace. The strange noises belong to an unpleasant foe made of shadows and hideous trickery. The trio did not notice.


End file.
